Sportsline

In the early days of the internet, 1994 to be exact, Michael Levy founded a company called SportsLine USA. The idea was straightforward: use the new digital medium to provide sports scores, news, and statistics. The company was an early mover in a space that would become incredibly valuable. To gain traction, they forged partnerships with some of the biggest names in sports, including Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods, and major leagues like the NFL. A key strategic move came in 1997 when they partnered with CBS, rebranding their main site as CBS SportsLine. This gave them the broadcast media exposure they needed to compete. That same year, the company went public on the NASDAQ, raising an initial $32 million. By the early 2000s, SportsLine had established itself as a major player in online sports media. The playbook culminated in a significant event in 2004 when Viacom, which already owned a 38% stake and had a long-standing relationship with the company, announced it would acquire the remaining shares for approximately $46 million. The company was then integrated into the CBS Sports division, solidifying the journey from a standalone dot-com to a core part of a media giant.